


How to Care for Your Kitten

by keith_kisses



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-02-25
Updated: 2016-10-27
Packaged: 2018-05-23 05:32:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,006
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6106483
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/keith_kisses/pseuds/keith_kisses
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A guide on how to keep your cat happy and healthy.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Keeping Your Cat's Diet Balanced

_'All cats require a healthy balance when it comes to dietary needs. Treats are okay when used in moderation, but a good owner should never substitute treats for a protein-based meal. Cats are carnivores, and it is essential to consider that fact when deciding on meals to satisfy hunger.'_

* * *

* * *

"I'm hungry," Chat declared one evening. The two superheroes were doing a patrol of the city, but their pace was slowing as Chat insisted on meandering about the rooftops, every step deliberate.  

"Then maybe you should have eaten _before,"_ Ladybug reminds, voice floating through the evening air as Chat watched each of her feet gently pad along the rooftop ridge. He wondered how much of the cool tile she could feel through her suit, how much of the course surface was grazing her skin. His own feet were irritatingly soft due to a life-time of never needing to use them. 

He felt every little rise and fall of the surface beneath his toes. 

"I would have done if I'd known we'd be out so long," he continued. Something inside him was a little taken aback at his complaints. It was uncharacteristic of him and he knew it. He always tried so hard to please others when he was Adrien Agreste; modelling for his father whenever he required despite the lack of gratitude, smiling at Chloé with as much sincerity as he could muster when she gave him soft smooches, determinedly persevering through conversations with Nino about things he didn't understand. It wasn't like him to complain, and it wasn't like him to kick up a fuss about something as subjective as pecishness, but then Ladybug had that skill of managing to make him 'not-himself.' 

"It's only half six!" 

"A whole hour longer than I'd anticipated," Chat whined. Ladybug huffed out a small puff of air and stopped walking, placing her hands on her hips and turning to face him.  

"Well, what would you like me to do about it?" 

"Hm," Chat pretended to think on it, "we could stop off for food somewhere." 

"We _never_ 'stop off' for food, Chat," she pointed out, in a tone that seemed to suggest that Chat didn't already know that. "Besides, I don't have money on me." 

"C'mon, my Lady, _anyone_ would serve the famous heroes Ladybug and Chat Noir! It would be their pleasure... and I'm _really_ hungry," Chat announced, switching his tone of voice from overly-dramatic and slightly comedic to whiney and irritating almost mid-sentence. Ladybug would muse later that it was a trait not dissimilar to one Manon displays. In fact, there were a lot of traits that Chat and Manon shared.  

"Fine, fine, okay." 

"Excellent! I know just the place."  

* * *

And that is how the miraculous pair ended up shuffling into a small corner-bakery that Ladybug knew far too well. They had rushed there, led by Chat, in something of a determined, intentional frenzy. Apparently Chat had been here before and the quirky place had made an impression on him.  

They arrived five minutes before closing time, and Ladybug felt immediately guilty when she noticed that neither of her parents were at the counter. Most of the lights were off but for the yellow-ish glow of the display case spotlights. Chat bounced over to them with an enthusiasm that meant Ladybug had to physically bite her lip from 'awww-ing' aloud. She walked over to him in her own time, just as he was deciding. 

"Canelé, kitten? Don't you want something more meaty?" 

"Is that what it's called..." Chat mumbled, ignoring her unintentionally.  

A few moments later Tom come out, and gushed over the pair. He sent them out with boxes full of the pastries left over from the day, so much that they could barely carry it all. Chat licked his lips, eyes glazing over like the caramel crust of the canelé that he hadn't stopped eyeballing throughout the whole time. 

They chose a quiet bench of a nearby park - one that Marinette, Adrien, Ladybug and Chat Noir had all seen before – to eat their pastries. Ladybug nibbled her was through one and a half in the time it took Chat to eat four.  

"You shouldn't fill yourself up on pastries and sweets, kitty," she commented. "They're bad for pussycats." 

"Well I'm feline fine, so they can't be that bad." 

Chat looked at her with a face as sweet as sugar, and a grin so wide that his eyes were barely visible. He loved how his lady cared, even though she hid it behind jokes or harshness. He watched her roll her eyes and drop the remaining half of her pastry onto his lap.  

"Well, don't come crying to me tomorrow when you're all upset inside."   
   
He watched her fly away into the evening air, body gliding in the night sky as if it were designed for it. Once she was out of sight, Chat turned his attention back to the mountain of sweets on his knees and proceeded to gorge (and 'gorge' is the most appropriate word) on them for the remainder of the evening. He found he walked home at a slower pace than usual, transforming behind a kiosk at about the half-way mark. 

Adrien wished he _had_ decided to have 'something more meaty' instead, and went to sleep craving chicken and salmon and turkey and beef for the first time in months, the meats taking over from his usual nightly craving of pastries from Marinette's bakery.  

 

 


	2. Keeping Your Cat Healthy

_'Cats are very conservative. When injured or sick, they don’t flaunt it about. In order to keep your cat in optimum health, ensure to keep a close eye, consult an expert for help if any concerns arise, and make sure your cat receives regular check-ups.'_

* * *

* * *

"Chat?" 

"Yes, my lady?" 

"You're okay, right?" 

"Of course," he replied, scrunching his eyebrows in confusion at the strange question. He watched Ladybug as she sent him an incredibly dubious look, some sort of depth of meaning to her glance that he didn't understand. 

There was a soft morning breeze about them that gave him the slightest relief. All he wanted was to transform back into his normal self and pass out in his room, naked, with his large fan blazing on his face and his skylight window wide open. Unfortunately, the heroes of Paris could not pick and choose when enemies reared their ugly heads, and it just so happened that this particular one had decided 7am was the most acceptable time. 

Now, tired, feverish, and aching from the battle he'd endured, Chat most certainly was _not_ okay. But who was he to concern his Ladybug? Besides, it just isn't how things are done! Everyone knows that there is no other answer to 'are you okay?' than 'yes.'  

He thought he'd hidden his fatigue relatively well, but obviously something was betraying him... Chat shot his gorgeous companion a cheeky grin, straightened his posture and twirled his baton. 

"Why do you ask?" he ventured, genuine curiosity sparking in his addled brain. 

"Ah no reason, kitty. As long as you're certain, it doesn't matter." Ladybug sent a small, delicate smile back. She was concerned. In fact, she was blatantly worried. Almost worried enough to follow Chat back to his home and discover the exact cause behind his strange behaviour. 

Because she had noticed his slight sways, his glazed eyes, his bright cheeks. She'd noticed his delayed responses, his slurred speech and his heavy breathing. She'd wondered if he'd been injured during the fight, but quickly dismissed that as she realized that she would have noticed had that been the case. And besides, he'd been like that since the moment he arrived. Was he troubled by something? 

Every fibre of her being wanted to press him into giving her an answer, but she knew that not only was that not her place, but if something truly _was_ bothering him, he'd either tell her if it was troubling enough or he'd want to rush back to his normal life to try and solve it. So she stayed quiet and instead watched as Paris patched itself up under the effects of her Lucky Charm.  

They parted soon after, and the two heroes went back to their daily lives. Marinette found she couldn't shake off the intrigue and worry that had plagued her since she'd first seen Chat stumble that morning, and decided to ring Alya in a vain attempt to set her mind at rest. She was worried about her little kitten, and she was damned if she was going to ignore it! 

"Hey girl," Alya projected through the phone, "What's up?" 

"Hey, Alya. I was wondering about something." 

"Okay, shoot." 

(Marinette took a brief moment to thank God for Alya before elaborating.) 

"Well, I'm worried about a friend. I think something's up with him? But when I asked he said he was fine... I'm not sure I trust him." Marinette took a breath. "I just don't know what to do. Do I press him? What if there's something seriously wrong?" 

"Okay okay, calm down. Why do you think something's wrong?" 

The conversation went on. Marinette explained everything she'd seen that had confused her, and in turn Alya gave her the conclusion of 'sounds like he's sick.' 

"What? Sick?" The word deafened the girl as it came down the line. Of course! That made perfect sense! But... if he was sick, why didn't he just tell her? God, why did he take part in the fight at all? She felt awful. She didn't make the connection, and now her poor chat may be even more sick than he had been that morning. 

She quickly ended the call and collapsed onto her bed.  

_Sick._  

_Sick._  

_Sick._  

Suddenly, an idea hit her and she shot straight back up. She transformed, called Chat and arranged to meet at a roof they both frequent. 

When she saw him, she noticed it more. The smile was plastered on over sickeningly pale skin. His eyes were dark and lifeless, and his posture was hunched, staggered. A pang tugged at her soul, very nearly, seeing her kitten in this way. _How did I not notice?_  

"What's wrong?" Chat asked, serious and concerned for her. She'd only called him to her a few times before, and those had been in dire times, so she didn't judge him for anticipating disaster. "My darling Bugaboo, is something wrong?" 

Chat was tired. His spine was aching and he needed to sleep but despite his best attempts all day he hadn't managed it. Someone was drilling inside his head, and the world spun too much when he closed his eyes to sleep. But Ladybug was his everything. Every second he spent with her was like medication for his heart (as pathetic as that sounds).  

She looked okay, but was something troubling her? He stared into her eyes, searching for answers. 

"Here," she replied, holding out a clenched fist. He held his open palm out below and caught the mysterious item as she dropped it in. "Ginger tea." 

It was a small teabag, and, sure enough it had a brown paper label on it labeling it as ginger tea.  

Chat was bemused by this. Tea? He wasn't an avid tea drinker, and he definitely didn't drink these strange herbal teas. What a peculiar gift... 

"You're sick, kitten. Drink some of this and it'll soothe your throat." 

"I'm not-" Chat tried to argue. 

"You are. I can see. But it's okay. Just get better soon, alright?" Ladybug smiled, and took a step towards him, closing the gap between them. She wrapped her arms around his waist and gave him a quick, soft hug. It was an out-of-character display of affection, but was Chat going to argue? Of course not. 

He hugged her back quickly, then watched her skip away over rooftops and eventually down to the floor and presumably back to wherever it was she lived. 

That night, Adrien slept well with the taste of ginger still lingering on his tongue, and a soft smile gracing his lips as he slept. 


End file.
